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TORONTO — The Toronto Raptors took 44 minutes to finally get a lead on the Orlando Magic, but just two minutes to blow it as they dropped their third game in a row, this time 105-96 to the visiting Orlando Magic.
The Raptors, 2-3, overcame yet another frigid first quarter with a furious fourth to take the lead on a triple by Andrea Bargnani with four minutes to play, after trailing by as many as 15 points in the first half and 11 points early in the final quarter.
But the Magic responded with three-balls of their own by big-money free-agent signee Rashard Lewis, point guard Jameer Nelson and Keith Bogans, using an 11-2 run to push the game out of reach of Toronto and improve their record to 4-1.
"We spent so much energy trying to get back into the game, and then when we finally get it close and they come back and make a shot, it's kind of tough," said Raptors point guard T.J. Ford, who had 12 points and eights assists. "I think the [defensive] rotations were good, they just made some tough shots."
Dwight Howard slams down two points while Andrea Bargnani looks on. (Mark Blinch/Reuters)
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- Orlando Magic
- Toronto Raptors
- Andrea Bargnani
- Maceo Baston
- Keith Bogans
- Chris Bosh
- T.J. Ford
- Dwight Howard
- Rashard Lewis
- Jamario Moon
- Jamario Moon
- Jameer Nelson
- Hedo Turkoglu
The Raptors can at least take some satisfaction in finding their offensive and defensive games — for stretches, anyway — after shooting just 33.3 per cent in the first quarter and 38.2 per cent in the half, the third consecutive game in which they've started flat and died a slow death by jump shot. The Magic connected on 50 per cent of their attempts and had 51 rebounds against Toronto's 41.
"We got 89 shots, so we got some shots," Raptors head coach Sam Mitchell said. "But we're just not shooting the ball well."
The Raptors' woes started early as they came out shooting blanks, misfiring on their first 11 shots — the nadir an air ball by Bargnani.
Meanwhile, all those missed jumpers led to run-outs by the Magic as they jumped to a 15-2 lead, thanks to three transition baskets.
By the time Raptors all-star Chris Bosh checked out after 12 minutes, he had missed all three of his field-goal attempts, this on top of missing all four of his attempts in 16 foul-troubled minutes on Tuesday in the Raptors' loss to the Milwaukee Bucks and going pointless in the first half of Sunday's loss to the Boston Celtics.
And while Bosh continues to declare himself healthy after missing nearly three weeks of the exhibition season with a knee problem, his game is not yet in shape.
"The reality of the NBA is some of the things Chris is trying to get is going to have to happen during the game," Mitchell said. "You look at this week, we don't have any more practice time."
The Raptors finally started to look like the Raptors in a third-quarter run sparked by some long absent ball movement as Bargnani hit a wide-open three after several touches. Ford hit a long jumper and Bargnani scored in the post to cut Orlando's lead to two points, though the Magic responded with their own spurt to push a four-point lead heading into the fourth quarter to 11 points early in the fourth.
More important, Bosh began to assert himself. He made a determined effort to get to the basket and was rewarded with 14 trips to the free-throw line, where he made all 14 for the bulk of his season-most 26 points. He also had 10 rebounds.
His effort rubbed off on Bargnani, another slow starter, and the Italian forward shook off a 1-for-5 first quarter to score 16 points and grab eight rebounds. The two combined for 23 points in the second half.
"I think Chris and Andrea were very active in the third and fourth," Mitchell said. "Chris was aggressive going to the basket, and Andrea made some moves we've been waiting for him to make and not just settle for jump shots.'
The Raptors' next step will be to get some production from their wings. Jason Kapono, Anthony Parker and Carlos Delfino combined to shoot 6-for-22, a deficiency more glaring because the Magic's wing players were all on their game.
Lewis, who signed a six-year, $122-million (U.S.) free-agent deal in the off-season, scored 24 points, including a key three-pointer to answer for Bargnani's go-ahead three in the fourth quarter. Hedo Turkoglu also scored 24, while grabbing 15 rebounds, and Keith Bogans scored 17 points and snared 11 rebounds from the guard spot.
